Rotating adapter for playground swing

ABSTRACT

An adapter includes a first support member and a second support member. The first support member is configured to connect to an associated swing support, e.g. a horizontal support beam of a playground set, for swinging about a horizontal axis. The second support member connects to the first support member and rotates about a second axis with respect to the first support member. The second support member includes spaced mounting elements each configured for attachment to a flexible support, e.g. ropes, cables, chains, etc., of an associated swing.

This application claims the benefit of Application Ser. No. 60/980,519filed Oct. 17, 2007, the entirety of which is incorporated by referenceherein.

BACKGROUND

For conventional playground swings, the swing and swing hanger aredesigned primarily for oscillation throughout an angle in one plane. Inanother type of conventional swing, commonly known as a tire swing,oscillatory motion in any direction throughout a solid angle is capable.

Swings that overcome the shortcomings of the conventional playgroundswing that is designed primarily for oscillation throughout an angle inone plane include a multi-axis swing in which a person is strapped intoa seat and he performs backward and forward summersault rolls byoperating a gear shift lever and a joystick control on the seat. Thismulti-axis swing also allows the person strapped into the seat toperform left and right barrel rolls by turning a steering wheel on thejoystick control. This multi-axis swing looks to be difficult to operateby a young child and also does not utilize many of the components foundin the conventional playground swings.

A tire swing that is capable of rotating as well as swinging through alimited angle in any direction without winding up the chains or cablesthat support the tire is also known. This tire swing includes a ball andsocket mount where the ball is capable of rotating in the socket as wellas swinging through a limited angle in any direction. The ball andsocket mount is appropriate for a tire swing, since the chains thatsupport the tire swing converge toward the same location, i.e. point,when attaching the tire swing to the horizontal support beam thatsupports the tire swing. Conventional playground swings, on the otherhand, include spaced flexible supports that do not converge towards thesame location when the flexible supports are attached to the horizontalsupport beam that supports the conventional playground swing.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, it is desirable to provide an adapter for a swing (e.g. aconventional playground swing designed for oscillation throughout anangle in one plane) where the adapter is configured so that a personswinging on the swing can swing back and forth in an arc while lateralsway outside of a plane of the arc is limited and the person swinging inthe arc can also spin without the flexible supports of the swing windingup or becoming twisted. An example of such an adapter includes a firstsupport member and a second support member. The first support member isconfigured to connect to an associated swing support, e.g. a horizontalsupport beam of a playground set, for swinging about a horizontal axis.The second support member connects to the first support member androtates about a second axis with respect to the first support member.The second support member includes spaced mounting elements eachconfigured for attachment to a flexible support, e.g. ropes, cables,chains, etc., of an associated swing.

Also disclosed is a combination of a swing and an adapter. The swingincludes spaced flexible supports for suspending the swing from above.The adapter connects to the flexible supports and is configured toconnect to an associated swing mount so that the swing can swing backand forth in an arc. The adapter includes a rotating component connectedto the spaced flexible supports and the associated swing mount so thatthe swing can rotate in an axis generally along a radius of the arc asthe swing is swinging.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an upper perspective view of a swing adapter connected to asupport.

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the swing adapter shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a lower perspective view of the swing adapter shown in FIG. 1connected to the support.

FIG. 4 is a front elevation view of the swing adapter connected to thesupport.

FIG. 5 is a close-up upper perspective view of a rotation control devicefor the swing adapter shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is a close-up lower perspective view of a lock for the swingadapter shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 7 is a front elevation view of an alternative embodiment of a swingadapter connected to the support.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

An adapter 10 for a swing, such as a conventional playground swingdesigned primarily for oscillation throughout an angle in one plane, isshown connected to a support, which can include a horizontal beam B, ofa conventional playground swing set. The horizontal beam B connects tovertical supports that support the horizontal beam above the ground. Thesupport depicted in FIG. 1 is a typical horizontal beam made of wood.The adapter 10 is also amenable to connect to other types of supports.For example, the adapter 10 can also easily attach to metal playgroundplay sets and other supports that can support a conventional playgroundswing. The adapter 10 can be used in combination with a number ofdifferent playthings that are designed to swing back and forth, e.g.4-chain tire swings, trapeze rings, trapeze bars, which will all bereferred to generically as swings.

The adapter 10 includes a first support member 12 and a second supportmember 14. The second support member 14 is typically horizontallyoriented and will also be referred to as a horizontal support member.The first support member 12, which can also be referred to as a swingingcomponent, is configured to connect to a swing hanger 16 for swingingabout a horizontal axis 18 (see FIG. 4). The horizontal support member14, which can also be referred to as a rotatable component, connects tothe first support member 12 and is rotatable about an axis 22 (see alsoFIG. 4) with respect to the first support member 12. The first supportmember 12 will also be referred to as an axle. Accordingly, the adapter10 allows a swing 24 (depicted schematically in FIG. 4) to swing backand forth in an arc about the horizontal axis 18 while allowing a swingseat 26 of the swing 24 to rotate about the rotational axis 22 withouttwisting or tangling flexible supports 28 (depicted schematically inFIG. 4) from which the swing seat 26 is suspended.

In the depicted embodiment, the first support member 12 and the secondsupport member 14 are metal bars. Alternatively, the support members 12and 14 can be made from plastic or another durable material.Additionally, the support members can take alternative configurations.For example, the second support member 14 can be a disk-shaped(circular) member that connects to and rotates with respect to the firstsupport member. The disk can be made from metal, plastic or anotherdurable and strong material capable of supporting the swing.

With reference to FIG. 2, the swing adapter 10 attaches to aconventional swing hanger 16. The swing hanger 16 includes a bracket 32that includes a substantially planar base 34 and two spaced normally anddownwardly protruding flanges 36. Fastener openings 38 are formedthrough the planar base 34. The fastener openings 38 receive fasteners42, which can be conventional bolts, which are also received throughfastener openings 44 formed in the support beam B. Nuts 46 and washers48 are received on and thread onto the threaded fasteners 42 to attachthe bracket 32 of the swing hanger 16 to the horizontal support beam B.

The flanges 36 are typically spaced about one inch from one another inthe horizontal direction. The flanges 36 each include a respectiveopening 52 that are aligned with one another to receive a pin 54. A pinretainer 56, e.g. a snap ring, retains the pin within the alignedopenings 52. Alternatively, the pin and pin retainer can be replaced bya bolt, which acts similar to the pin, and a lock nut, both of which areused in current bushing swing hangers. The swing hanger 16 depicted inthe drawing is an example of a conventional type of swing hanger that isused with horizontal support beams that are generally square orrectangular in a cross section taken normal to a horizontal axis of thebeam. Metal playground swing sets typically include tube-shaped supportmembers. The swing hanger used with the metal playground swing set doesnot include the bracket having a planar base; however, they typically doemploy a pin similar to the pin 54 shown in the figures. The adapter 10,which will be described in more detail below, can easily attach toeither type of swing hanger as well as other swing hangers that includea pin or similar axle-type member.

The first support member 12 is configured to connect to a swing support,which can include the horizontal beam and the swing hanger 16, forswinging about the horizontal axis 18 (FIG. 4). As more clearly seen inFIG. 2, the axle 12 includes a generally cylindrical head 60 having ashank 62 extending from the head. The shank 60 is cylindrical and therotational axis 22 of the horizontal support member 14 is centered withrespect to the shank. The shank 62 includes a threaded distal end 64with respect to the head 60. The cylindrical head 60 has an axial(horizontal) dimension that is smaller than the horizontal space betweenthe flanges 36 so that the head 60 fits between the flanges 36 of thebracket 32 of the swing hanger 16. The cylindrical head 60 includes anaxial throughbore 66 that aligns with the openings 52 in the flanges 36for receiving the pin 54. This connection allows the first supportmember 12 to rotate about the horizontal axis 18.

The horizontal support member 14 connects to the vertical support member12 and is rotatable about the rotational axis 22. In the depictedembodiment, the horizontal support member 14 receives the axle 12 sothat the horizontal support member rotates about the axle. Thehorizontal support member includes a central cylindrical portion 70 thatis circular in cross section with regard to a horizontal axis. Thecentral portion 70, as well as the remaining portions of the horizontalsupport member can take other configurations. A central vertical bore 72is formed through the central portion 70 of the horizontal supportmember 14. The central bore 72 receives the shank 62 of the verticalsupport member 12.

A bearing assembly 74 also receives the shank 62. In the depictedembodiment, the bearing assembly 74 can be positioned above theuppermost end of the threaded distal end 64 so that the horizontalsupport member 14 rotates about the shank 62 of the first support member12 during operation of the adapter 10. The bearing assembly 74 includesbearing housing 76 having a saddle 78 that receives the cylindricalcentral portion 70 of the horizontal support member 14. The saddle 78would take an alternative configuration should the horizontal supportmember 14 take an alternative configuration. The saddle 78 wouldcomplement the shape of the horizontal support member 14 so thatrotation of the horizontal support member would result in rotation ofthe bearing housing 76. The bearing housing 76 also includes a verticalthroughbore 80 that receives the shank 62 of the vertical support member12. The throughbore 80 surrounds the shank 62 when the horizontalsupport member 14 rotates about the vertical support member 12.

The bearing assembly 74 can include a thrust bearing that accommodatesthe downward vertical force of the horizontal support member 14 when aperson is seated on the swing. The bearing assembly 74 also reducesfriction in a rotational direction when the person on the swing attemptsto rotate the horizontal support member 14 with respect to the verticalsupport member 12. Hex nuts 82 and 84 thread onto the threaded end 64 ofthe axle 12 to retain the bearings in the bearing housing 76. Thebearing assembly 74 can also be retained by a retainer that is welded orfastened in another manner to the shank 62.

In the depicted embodiment, the horizontal support member 14 alsoincludes pinched ends 90 at opposite ends of the central portion 70. Thepinched ends 90 include mounting elements configured to attach to eachflexible support 28 (FIG. 4), e.g. ropes, chains, cables, and the like,to allow the swing seat 26 to pivot in a horizontal axis 92 (FIG. 4). Inthe depicted embodiment, the mounting elements include openings 94 and96 formed through the pinched ends 90 and hooks 98 that are received inthese openings to facilitate attaching chains or other flexible supportsto the horizontal support. In the depicted embodiment, a first pair ofopenings 96 (the outermost openings) are spaced 17 inches from oneanother. Also in the depicted embodiment, a second pair of openings 94(the inner openings) are spaced 15 inches from one another. This allowsthe adapter 10 to be used with different conventional playground swingsseats and to accommodate the swing beam height according to current useand ASTM guidelines. The spacing between the openings can change basedon where the adapter will be used, e.g. for a commercial grade swing setused at a municipal playground the spacing between the openings may belarger than what has been described above.

With reference to FIG. 2, the horizontal support member 14 also includesupper openings 100 to facilitate attachment of a rotation controldevice, which can also be referred to as a governor 102, and loweropenings (not visible) to facilitate attachment of a lock 104, each ofwhich will be described in more detail below. Both the lock 104 and thegovernor 102, which can also act as a lock, are spaced from the seat 26(FIG. 4) of the swing 24 a distance where a child sitting on the seat isunable to reach the lock or the governor.

With reference to FIG. 5, the governor 102 includes a bracket 110 thatattaches to the horizontal support member 14. With reference back toFIG. 2, the bracket 110 includes openings 112 configured to receivefasteners 114 that are also received in the openings 100 formed in thecentral portion 70 of the horizontal support member 14 to attach thebracket to the horizontal support member. The bracket includes anupwardly extending flange 116 that is formed integrally with theremainder of the bracket. With reference back to FIG. 2, the flange 116includes an opening 118 that is threaded. The threaded opening 118receives a threaded fastener 122 including a flat head 124 that is handtightenable and a nylon tip 126 at a distal end thereof. The nylon tip126 rubs against the axle 12 (shank 62) when the horizontal supportmember 14 is rotated about the axle 12 and the nylon tip 126 iscontacting the axle 12. Tightening the fastener 122 in the threadedopening 118 of the flange 116 results in increased pressure at the nylontip 126, which can also be made from an alternative material. This canslow the rotational velocity of the horizontal support member 14 withrespect to the axle 12. Tightening the fastener 122 enough can result inthe horizontal support member 14 being unable to rotate about the axle12. Accordingly, the governor 102 can also be referred to as a lock,which in a locked position can preclude rotation of the horizontalsupport member 14 with respect to the vertical support member 12.

In addition to the governor 102, or in lieu thereof, the adapter 10 canalso include the lock 104, which is shown best in FIG. 6. Fasteners 130connect a lock bracket 132 to the horizontal support member 14. Thefastener 130 is received in a horizontally extending elongated slot 134formed in the bracket 132. The bracket also includes a flange 136 and agenerally U-shaped notch 138 opposite the flange.

The U-shaped notch 138 is configured to work with the flats of theuppermost hex nut 82, which is connected to the axle 12. Alternatively,the U-shaped notch could cooperate with the lowermost hex nut 84. Withthe flats of the hex nut 82 received in the U-shaped notch 138 of thebracket 132 of the lock 104, the bracket 132 is precluded from rotatingwith respect to the hex nut 82. Since the bracket 132 rotates along withthe horizontal support member 14 about the rotational axis 22, when thehex nut 82 is received in the U-shaped notch 138 formed in the bracket132, rotation of the horizontal support member 14 is precluded. The lock104 is shown in a locked condition in FIG. 6. To unlock the lock, thusplacing it in an unlocked condition where the horizontal support member14 rotates about the axle 12, the flange 136 is pushed to the right (perthe orientation shown in FIG. 6) so that the bracket 132 moves to theright because of the elongated slot 134 in the bracket. In use, were thehorizontal support member 14 rotated 180 degrees, then the flange 136would be pushed to the left to unlock the adapter 10.

A square, or four-sided nut, can be used with the lock 104 instead ofthe hex nut 82 that has been described above. Using a square nut withthe lock 104 would provide the user of the adapter 10 an easiermechanism to lock the horizontal support member 14 in an orientationwhere the horizontal support member is disposed perpendicular to thesupport beam B. This is desirable where the adapter is, for example,disposed in the center of a two bay swing set, e.g. between the centraltwo swing hangers of the four swing hangers that are used to mount thetwo swings in the two bay swing set. With the horizontal support 14 ofthe adapter 10 locked perpendicular to the beam B in a two bay swingset, two conventional swings can be used in the bay without having toremove the adapter 10 (or a swing attached to the adapter). To use theadapter 10 in the two bay swing set, the two conventional swings can beremoved from their respective swing hangers and the adapter can beunlocked and rotated so that it is parallel with the beam B. The squarenut provides only two orientations with respect to the beam, i.e.perpendicular and parallel, when the nut is properly installed on thethreaded end 64 of the shank 62. The lock 104 can also be placed intothe locked condition so that the swing attached to the adapter 10 can beused as a traditional swing, i.e. only allow for to and fro swinging inan arc without any rotation of the swing about the arc.

In addition to the governor 102 and the lock 104 described above, otheralternative mechanisms could be used. For example, the governor 102and/or the lock can be replaced with a clamping mechanism that is fixedfast to the second support member 14 and includes a clamp (similar to abike brake) that clamps around the first support member 12 when in anengaged position. If desired, the clamping mechanism can be operativelyconnected to a handle, for example via a cable, whereby movement of thehandle, e.g. squeezing the handle, results in the clamp engaging thefirst support member 12 to stop the second support member from rotatingwith respect to the first support member. The brake handle can beconnected to one of the flexible supports 28 (FIG. 4) of the swing nearwhere one typically grips the flexible support so that the personswinging on the swing can operate the brake.

Other alternative designs for the lock 104 include providing a hole inone of the support members 12 or 14 and a movable pin connected fast tothe other support member. The pin can be inserted into the hole topreclude rotation of the second support member 14 with respect to thefirst support member 12.

FIGS. 1-6 disclose only one embodiment of an adapter configured to swingabout a horizontal axis and to rotate about a second axis that istransverse to the horizontal axis. The connection between the adapter 10and the support beam B via the swing hanger 16 provides only one degreeof freedom, i.e. rotation about the horizontal axis 18. This is similarto a conventional swing that swings to and fro. The adapter 10, however,provides additional degrees of freedom for a swing or other play thingthat attaches to it. The spaced flexible supports 28 connect to thehorizontal support member 14, which rotates in a longitudinal axis 22 ofthe first support member 12. The swing seat 26 is capable of swinging ina first arc, which has a center about the horizontal axis 18, and in asecond arc, which has a center about the lower horizontal axis 92 wherethe flexible supports 28 connect to the horizontal support member 14.The swing seat 26 can also rotate in a radius of the first arc, which iscentered about the upper horizontal axis 18. The radius of the first arcaligns with the longitudinal axis 22 of the vertical support member 12as the swing is swinging.

An example of an alternative embodiment of an adapter 210 for a swing isshown in FIG. 7. In this alternative embodiment, the swing adapter 210includes a lower horizontal support member 214 and an axle 212, as wellas an upper horizontal support member 220. The lower horizontal supportmember 214 is the same in configuration as the horizontal support member14 described with reference to FIGS. 1-5. The lower horizontal supportmember 214 connects to the axle 212 in the same manner as the horizontalsupport member 14 attaches to the first support member (axle) 12described above. For the sake of brevity, further description of theattachment between the two is not provided.

The upper horizontal support member 220 includes a bar 224 that issimilar in configuration to the lower horizontal support member 214. Thebar 224 includes pinched ends 226. The pinched ends 226 include openings228 that receive hooks 232. These hooks 232 attach to hooks H thatsuspend from a horizontal support beam B thus attaching the adapter tothe horizontal support beam. This adapter 210 operates in much the samemanner as the adapter 10 described above. The swing (not shown in FIG.7) that connects to the adapter can swing to and fro in an arc due tothe connection between the upper horizontal support member 220 and thebeam B. The lower horizontal support 214 can also rotate about the axle212.

Adapters for a swing have been described with particularity. A fewalternative embodiments of the adapter have also been described. Theadapter has been described for use with a conventional playground swing.The adapter is amenable to being used with other types of playgroundequipment such as a toddler swing, a trapeze bar, rings that aretypically gripped by a children's hand as well as other equipment thattypically has a pendulum-type motion. The adapter can also includeadditional components that have not been described with particularity,such as a shroud that covers some of the components of the adapter,lights that illuminate and a music player or other sound emittingdevice. The invention is not to be limited to only the embodimentsdescribed and disclosed above. Instead, the invention is broadly definedby the appended claims and the equivalents thereof.

1. An adapter for a swing comprising: a first support member configuredto connect to an associated swing support for swinging about ahorizontal axis; and a second support member connected to the firstsupport member and rotatable about a second axis with respect to thefirst support member, the second support member including spacedmounting elements each configured for attachment to a flexible supportof an associated swing.
 2. The adapter of claim 1, further comprising abearing contacting the first support member and the second supportmember.
 3. The adapter of claim 2, wherein the bearing is a thrustbearing that supports the second support member.
 4. The adapter of claim1, wherein the mounting elements are configured to attach to eachflexible support to allow the associated swing to pivot with respect toa location on the second support member.
 5. The adapter of claim 1,further comprising a lock that cooperates with the first support memberand the second support member to inhibit rotation of the second supportmember in the second axis.
 6. The adapter of claim 5, wherein the lockincludes a lock bracket that is slidable with respect to the secondsupport member, the lock bracket includes a notch that receives a nutfastened to the first support member when in a locked condition.
 7. Theadapter of claim 5, wherein the lock is configured to cooperate with thesecond support member to lock the second support member in a firstorientation with respect to the first support member and in a secondorientation with respect to the first support member, wherein the firstorientation is angularly offset 90 degrees from the second orientation.8. The adapter of claim 1, further comprising a governor that cooperateswith the second support member.
 9. The adapter of claim 1, wherein thefirst support member includes a head and a shank extending from thehead, the head having a horizontal through bore.
 10. The adapter ofclaim 9, wherein the head has a horizontal dimension that is less thatthe horizontal space between flanges of a conventional swing hanger. 11.A swing set comprising: a horizontal support beam; and the adapter ofclaim 1 connected to the horizontal support beam.
 12. A swing suspensionmount comprising: an assembly for attaching a swing to a swing supportframe, the assembly configured so that a person swinging on the swingcan swing back and forth in an arc while lateral sway outside of the arcis limited and the person swinging in the arc can also spin withoutflexible supports of the swing becoming twisted.
 13. An adapter for anassociated swing having flexible supports, the adapter configured toswing about a horizontal axis and to rotate about a second axis that istransverse to the horizontal axis.
 14. The adapter of claim 13, whereinconnection between the adapter and an associated support provides onlyone degree of freedom.
 15. The adapter of claim 13, wherein the adapterincludes spaced mounting elements that each engage a respective flexiblesupport.
 16. The adapter of claim 15, wherein the mounting elementsinclude hooks.
 17. The adapter of claim 15, wherein the mountingelements include a first pair of mounting elements spaced a firstdistance from one another and a second pair of mounting elements spaceda second distance from one another.
 18. The adapter of claim 13, furthercomprising a lock that when in a locked condition precludes rotation ofthe adapter in the second axis.
 19. The adapter of claim 13, furthercomprising a rotation control device that limits the velocity at whichthe adapter rotates.
 20. A swing set including the adapter of claim 13.21. In combination: a swing having spaced flexible supports forsuspending the swing from above; and an adapter connected to theflexible supports and configured to connect to an associated swing mountso that the swing can swing back and forth in an arc, the adaptercomprising a rotating component connected to the spaced flexiblesupports and the associated swing mount so that the swing can rotate inan axis generally aligned along a radius of the arc as the swing isswinging.
 22. The combination of claim 21, wherein the spaced flexiblesupports connect to the rotating component so that the flexible supportscan pivot about a horizontal axis with respect to the rotatingcomponent.
 23. The combination of claim 21, wherein the adapter includesa swinging component that is configured to connect to the associatedswing beam hanger, the rotating component connects to the swingingcomponent for rotational movement with respect to the swingingcomponent.
 24. The combination of claim 21, further comprising a lockcooperating with the rotating component for limiting rotational movementof the rotating component.
 25. The combination of claim 24, wherein thelock is spaced from a seat of the swing a distance where a child sittingon the seat is unable to reach the lock.
 26. The combination of claim21, wherein the swing is capable of swinging in a first arc about afirst horizontal axis and in a second arc about a second horizontal axisthat is spaced from the first horizontal axis.
 27. The combination ofclaim 26, wherein the first horizontal axis intersects the associatedswing hanger and the second horizontal axis intersects a location wherethe spaced flexible supports connect to the adapter.
 28. The combinationof claim 27, wherein the swing is capable of rotating about a radius ofthe first arc.
 29. The combination of claim 21, further comprising aswing set including a horizontal support supported above the ground, theadapter being connected to the horizontal support.
 30. The combinationof claim 21, further comprising a brake and a brake handle for operatingthe brake, the brake being movable between at least two operatingpositions, when in an engaged position the brake limits rotationalmovement of the rotating component, and the brake handle being connectedto at least one of the flexible supports and being operatively connectedto the brake such that movement of the brake handle results in the brakemoving from one operating position towards another operating position.